2010/06/02 Council Agenda Packet

JJ and her family moved from Gambia to the United States when she was 8 years old. By then, she had already faced more difficult situations than many face in a lifetime. At the age of 4, her grandmother stole her away in the middle of the night to take her to a traditional doctor to carry out the long-standing tradition in her culture of female circumcision — something that her father was strictly opposed to. "The pain is unbearable and will leave a hole in your life almost beyond imagining," JJ said, adding that even though she was young, she continues to reflect on that experience and says it has left a scar that brings memories that will never be forgotten. In addition, consistent with the Gambian culture, many girls are raised without the definition of what an education is — it is an opportunity usually reserved for men. At age 6, JJ was already forced into believing that she had no place in the classroom. Blessed with a persistent father who was determined to give her a better life than her mother had had, he fought to bring JJ and his family to America. Today, JJ is determined to succeed and possesses a genuine spirit of compassion to help others. She is a leader in the Volunteers of America Action Team and also participates in Teen Council, a group of teen leaders who work to educate their peers on current issues and resources. She is also a part of the Mariner Achievers program, which is designed for highly motivated, hard-working low-income high school students who would be the first in their families to attend college. With her passion for school, community and hard work, JJ is a fantastic representative of this program. In 2008, when she went back to Gambia for a visit, she met groups of girls who wanted to start a soccer team but were unable to get sponsors just because of their gender. Although she did not have enough money to give them, she helped them make pastries to sell at the market over a two- week period to raise money for a team.